Bladensburg Road Line

C41
Bladensburg Road Line
Route C41 at Anacostia station
Overview
SystemMetrobus
OperatorWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
GarageBladensburg
LiveryLocal
StatusActive
Began service1910
PredecessorsB2
Route
LocalePrince George's County, Northeast, Southeast
Communities servedHyattsville, Mount Rainier, Woodridge, Fort Lincoln, Langdon, Hill East, Barney Circle, Barry Farm, Anacostia
Landmarks servedWest Hyattsville station, Mount Rainier Terminal, Hechinger Mall, Stadium–Armory station, D.C. General Campus, Potomac Avenue station, Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, Anacostia station
StartWest Hyattsville station
Mount Rainier Terminal (Municipal Place & Rhode Island Avenue)
ViaHamilton Street, 38th Avenue, Bladensburg Road NE, 14th / 15th Streets NE, Potomac Avenue SE, Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SE
EndAnacostia station
Length60 minutes
Service
LevelDaily
Frequency12-20 minutes
Operates24 Hours
Ridership2,719,204 (FY 2025)[1]
TransfersSmarTrip only
TimetableBladensburg Road Line
← C37  {{{system_nav}}}  C43 →

The Bladensburg Road Line, designated as Route C41, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Anacostia station of the Green Line of the Washington Metro & Mount Rainier Terminal in Mount Rainier or West Hyattsville station of the Green and Yellow Lines of the Washington Metro. Route C41 operates every 12 minutes between 6 AM and 9 PM and every 20 minutes between 9 PM and 6 AM. C41 trips are roughly 60 minutes long.

Background

Route C41 operates daily between Anacostia station and Mount Rainier Terminal with every other daytime and all late night trips being extended to West Hyattsville station, mostly operating along Bladensburg Road. This route connects Hyattsville, Mount Rainier and Anacostia residents by bus without having to take the train between the points.

Route C41 operates out of Bladensburg division.

History

B2 initially started off as a streetcar line in 1910, operating between Mount Rainier, MD, Municipal Place & Rhode Island Avenue & the Anacostia neighborhood of Southeast Washington D.C.[2] The B2 streetcar line was later replaced by buses in 1923 and eventually became a Metrobus Route on February 4, 1973 when WMATA acquired four private bus companies that operated throughout the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area and merged them all together to form its own, "Metrobus" System. Route B2 kept operating on the same exact routing as its streetcar route after.[2]

On July 15, 1977 when both Stadium Armory & Potomac Avenue stations opened, B2 began serving both Metrorail Stations in the middle of its route. There were no major changes on its routing however.[3]

On December 28, 1991, when Anacostia station opened, B2 was extended from its original Anacostia terminus at the intersection of W Street SE & 16th Street SE, to operate to the new Anacostia station in the adjacent neighborhood of Barry Farm in Southeast Washington D.C.[4]

In 2001 when a roundabout was constructed at the intersection of Rhode Island Avenue, 34th Street, & Perry Street in Mount Rainier, MD to replace the original traffic lights at the intersection, B2 was rerouted to enter the roundabout when operating to both Mount Rainier and the Anacostia Metro Station.[5] Since then, the B2 kept its current routing and has not gone through any changes until the Better Bus Network was implemented.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the line was reduced to operate on its Saturday supplemental schedule during the weekdays beginning on March 16, 2020.[6] On March 18, 2020, the line was further reduced to operate on its Sunday schedule.[7] On March 21, 2020, weekend service was reduced to operate every 30 minutes.[8] Service was restored to its full service on August 23, 2020.[9]

In February 2021 during WMATA's FY2022 budget crisis, WMATA proposed to increase span to add late-night service to 2:00 AM on Route B2 between July and December 2021 in the first half of the fiscal year. However in the second half of the fiscal year between January and June 2022, WMATA proposed to reroute the B2 to replace portions of the B8, B9, D6, and H6 which would operate between Fort Lincoln and Union Station via Market Street NE, Fort Lincoln Drive, Eastern Avenue, Bladensburg Road, 14th/15th streets, C/D streets, Stanton Square and Massachusetts Avenue and eliminate service on Eastern Avenue NE (north of Bladensburg Road) and Rhode Island Avenue. It was also proposed to eliminate all service after midnight.[10] Subsequently on April 22, 2021, WMATA approved the FY2022 budget and received federal funding to avoid service cuts.[11]

On June 6, 2021, late-night service was increased to operate up to 2:00 AM.[12]

On June 10, 2021, WMATA proposed to increase the B2 to operate every 20 minutes daily between 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily as part of WMATA's Pandemic Recovery Plan.[13][14]

On September 5, 2021, the line was increased to operate every 20 minutes daily.[15] The line was further increased to operate every 12 minutes on June 25, 2023.[16]

Due to rising cases of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the line was reduced to its Saturday service on weekdays.[17] Full weekday service resumed on February 7, 2022.[18]

On December 17, 2023, new 24 hour service was added to Route B2.[19]

Better Bus Redesign

In 2022, WMATA launched its Better Bus Redesign project, which aimed to redesign the entire Metrobus Network and is the first full redesign of the agency's bus network in its history.

In April 2023, WMATA launched its Draft Visionary Network. As part of the drafts, WMATA proposed to extend the B2 from Mount Rainier Terminal to operate to West Hyattsville station via 38th Avenue and Hamilton Street as Route DC114. The proposed route would still operate between Anacostia station and Mount Rainier Terminal, but was also changed to operate along 17th Street SE, 19th Street SE, Stadium–Armory station, Potomac Avenue SE, 11th Street SE, and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. Service along 14th Street SE and 15th Street SE was replaced by the proposed Route DC219, which operated between Fort Lincoln and L'Enfant Plaza station, while service along Minnesota Avenue SE, and W Street SE was replaced by the proposed Route DC117, which operates between Navy Yard–Ballpark station and Capitol Heights station. Service along Pennsylvania Avenue SE and East Capitol Street SE was replaced by other Metrobus Routes.[20]

During WMATA's Revised Draft Visionary Network, WMATA renamed the DC114 to Route C41, keeping its same routing between Anacostia station and Mount Rainier Terminal, and had every other trip terminate continue to West Hyattsville station. Route DC219 was renamed to Route D39 and would also keep its same routing, but was dropped during the proposals.[21] The C41 changes were then proposed during WMATA's 2025 Proposed Network.[22][23]

During the proposals, Route C41 was changed again to have service restored along 14th Street SE, 15th Street SE, and East Capitol Street NE/SE, with the rest of the C41 routing being unchanged.[24]

On November 21, 2024, WMATA approved its Better Bus Redesign Network.[25]

As part of WMATA's Better Bus Redesign beginning on June 29, 2025, the B2 was modified to no longer have service along Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Minnesota Avenue SE, or operate along the Sousa Bridge. Instead, the B2 operates along 11th Street SE via the 11th Street Bridge from Anacostia before turning onto Potomac Avenue SE, before following the current B2 routing. Every other daytime and all late night trips was extended from Mount Rainier Terminal to West Hyattsville station via 38th Avenue and Hamilton Street, partially replacing the former F1. The line was renamed to the C41.[26]

Incidents

  • On July 10, 2010, a Maryland teenager posed as a Metrobus worker stole a bus from Bladensburg division and ran the B2 route picking up passengers before crashing the bus. After the riders got off the bus, the teen drove off before being stopped by police, fleeing the scene, and later getting arrested.[27]
  • On December 9, 2012, 27-year-old Javon Foster shot and killed 20-year-old Selina Brown and injured Brown's 23-month-old daughter Kodi on board a B2 bus along Minnesota Avenue SE around 5:40 pm. Foster later fled and went to the home of his other child's mother right after the shooting.[28][29] Then Foster later drove to Long Island, New York where he later committed suicide two days later.[30][31]
  • On May 13, 2020, a Metropolitan Police Department officer was struck by a B2 Metrobus along Bladensburg Road. The officer suffered serious injuries.[32][33]

References

  1. ↑ "Metrobus FY2025 Annual Line Performance Report" (PDF). wmata.com. Retrieved May 9, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "WASHINGTON DC TRANSIT ROUTES". chicagorailfan.com. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  3. ↑ "world.nycsubway.org: Washington, D.C." nycsubway.org. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  4. ↑ Fehr, Stephen C. (December 22, 1991). "AS METRORAIL MOVES TO ANACOSTIA, QUESTIONS REMAIN". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Grit and Granola". Washington City Paper. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Metro announces additional COVID-19 changes, including reduced service beginning Monday | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  7. ↑ "METRO SERVICE LEVELS & HOURS FURTHER REDUCED TO SUPPORT ESSENTIAL TRIPS ONLY, STARTING WEDNESDAY | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on March 19, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Weekend: Metro service limited to 26 bus routes, reduced rail service; expect wait times of 30 minutes; customers urged to travel only if essential | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Metrobus Service Changes beginning August 23 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  10. ↑ "FY22 Proposed Metrobus Service Changes District of Columbia" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 28, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  11. ↑ "FY2022 PROPOSED BUDGET" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 11, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Metrobus Service Changes June, 6". Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Finance and Capital Committee Action Item III-A June 10, 2021 Service and Fare Recommendations" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Report by Finance and Capital Committee (A) 06-10-2021" (PDF). Retrieved June 21, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Improved frequency and changes to Metrobus service begin Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Metrobus Changes Begin Sunday, June 25, 2023 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Metro takes measures to combat omicron variant; Announces service adjustments and protections for customers and employees". Archived from the original on May 6, 2025. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Regular weekday Metrobus service to return February 7". Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
  19. ↑ "Metrobus Changes Begin Sunday, December 17, 2023 with 24/7 DC Bus Service". WMATA. Archived from the original on January 6, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Draft Visionary District of Columbia Routes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Revised Visionary Network Route Summary" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 14, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Proposed 2025 Network District of Columbia Routes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 11, 2025. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  23. ↑ "Revised Visionary Network Route Summary" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 11, 2025.
  24. ↑ "District of Columbia Better Bus Routes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 9, 2025. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Metro Board of Directors approves Better Bus Network Redesign, new bus routes to start next summer". WMATA. Archived from the original on November 21, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2025.
  26. ↑ "District of Columbia Route Profiles" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 11, 2025. Retrieved July 29, 2025.
  27. ↑ "19-year old steals DC Metrobus, picks up passengers and crashes". wmbfnews.com. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  28. ↑ Sarna, Shivan. "Man suspected of killing woman identified as child's father". The Washington Times. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  29. ↑ Brown, Pamela; Donelan, Jennifer (December 9, 2012). "Selina Brown killed, child shot on Metrobus in SE". WJLA. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  30. ↑ "Suspect in Metrobus Shooting Commits Suicide in Long Island". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  31. ↑ "Bus shooting suspect found dead in New York". WTOP. December 9, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  32. ↑ Mwangi, Fonda (May 14, 2020). "DC officer in critical condition after being struck by Metrobus". WTOP. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  33. ↑ Pusatory, Matt. "MPD officer hit by Metrobus suffers significant injuries". wusa9.com. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.